Golden Harvest Slice

This month's Red Tractor calendar recipe is Golden Harvest Slice.  The name of this recipe really appealed to me and I had high hopes for it.  It comprises a buttery base topped with fruit and nuts.

The harvest theme of the recipe goes well with the quote of the month:

However, this slice was just a bit meh for me.  OK, I didn't have any dried apricots as called for in the recipe, and I forgot to add the almonds in the topping.  However, I am still not sure that these ingredients would have changed my mind in the finished product.   I also made an oopsy in forgetting to add self raising flour instead of plain flour in the topping.  Perhaps that would have made me like it better, but it wouldn't overcome the crumbly base and very sweet topping. 

I made this slice for our tap class picnic, along with a beautiful Gerard's Mustard Tart from Dorie Greenspan's Around My French Table:

We were going to eat our picnic in the gardens at St Kilda after our dress rehearsal and before the big concert, but it stormed, so we ate it in the cramped conditions behind the stage at the theatre where we were to perform that evening.


If you would like to try Golden Harvest Slice, you will need:

Base

1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
125g cold butter

Combine the flour and sugar in a food processor, then pulse in the butter.  Press into a greased 20cm x 30cm slice tin.

Topping

40g softened butter
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 cup self raising flour
1/4 cup brandy
90 g chopped dates
90g sultanas
90g chopped dried apricots
90g sliced raw almonds

Mix the butter, brown sugar, brandy, flour and golden syrup together.  Stir in the fruit and nuts.

Spoon the topping over the base, and bake at 180 degrees Celsius for 30 minutes.

Remove the slice from the oven and allow to cool in the tin on a rack.  Cut into squares.  http://kitchenlaw.blogspot.com.au/2010/10/ffwd-gerards-mustard-tart.html?m=1